You are here: Home > Explore Cumbria > Areas of Cumbria > The Lake District
England’s best-known and most popular national park is a postcard landscape of shimmering lakes, craggy hilltops and ancient forests that has enchanted poets and painters since the late 18th century, when the Romantics first had their imaginations stirred by the panoramas that have remained unchanged to this day.
And what panoramas they are. There’s the classic Lakeland setting of Windermere, England’s largest lake and the primary destination for millions of tourists since the railroad was first built in the middle of the 19th century. On it is busy Bowness and the charming villages of Grasmere and Hawkshead, surrounded on all sides by beautiful mountains.
The north lakes – Ullswater, Bassenthwaite, Derwentwater, Loweswater – are quieter and wilder, in the shadow of the rugged Skiddaw range and with handsome Keswick at the heart of it. The lush Borrowdale Valley leads to the dramatic Honister mountain pass and into the natural lakes of Buttermere & Crummock.
Adventure seekers go west, to the higher ground of Great Langdale and the region’s major summits of Bowfell, Crinkle Crags and the biggest mountain of all, Scafell Pike.
The Lake District is an outdoor activities paradise, but its literary connections draw as many visitors as its walks do. William Wordsworth lived virtually all of his life here, drawing inspiration from the surrounding countryside to write some of the English language’s most enduring poetry. The landscape also proved a creative spark for the likes of Sameul Taylor Coleridge, Arthur Ransome and Beatrix Potter – who dedicated much of her life to protecting the Lake District’s beauty and heritage.
In all its beauty and diversity the Lake District remains as it has been for millennia, which is one of the reasons why in 2017 the national park was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site – its river valleys, lakes and mountains home to an unique hill-farming culture and ancient heritage that has been carefully preserved. Here in the Lake District we know how to take good care of you; we’ve had plenty of practice.

Explore
Chillswim Coniston End to End Swim 2026 will take place on Saturday 20th June. Long distance…
Discover the tales of Townend on our daily 45-minute guided tour at 3pm. Led by knowledgeable…
London, 1660. The theatres are alive, the monarchy's restored, and women are finally allowed on…
Molly Warburton, a UK Indie Pop singer-songwriter from Lancaster, will be joining us at The Swan on…
Chillswim Ullswater 2026 will take place on Saturday 11th July at Parkfoot Holiday Park on the…
Discover the Tadpole Round Swim Hike—an unforgettable adventure at the heart of the Buttermere…
Choose your challenge: 1. The Full Boundary (45k) 2. 1st half Boundary (26k) 3. 2nd half Boundary…
Susannah Clegg is a Lancaster-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist known for her…
The varied habitats of the Dalemain Estate parklands and gardens area provide a rich, year-round…
Join us on a exclusive guided tour of Hill Top Farm, Near Sawrey renowned as the first farm owned…
The Swim to Wild Cat Island is a classic Lake District swim right out of the pages of a storybook…
Windermere Ring – Walk the Fells and Valleys around Lake Windermere Full event details here:…
Join us for Wild Swim Club! Experience the incredible benefits of this exhilarating activity as our…
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection,…
Skip the socks. Send him up a tree! Looking for things to do this Father's Day in the Lake…
Fundraisers of Alzheimer's Society will take on on an incredible 13 or 26 mile trek. The 26 mile…
Join us in the Café for a writing workshop themed around weeds and wildflowers. Led by poet Jessica…
Useful/Beautiful marks 25 years of contemporary craft at Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house,…
Make memories, not just snapshots with a private photography experience in the Lake District…
Our Finsthwaite Wild Swim is an easy-paced swim walk taking us from the village of Finsthwaite,…
Back for its 13th Year, join us at Windermere Golf Club on Friday 3rd July 2026 for a wonderful day…
With 4 race options and 3 distances in each to choose from, the event is ideal for both novice and…
A firm favourite, it's the return of our fish and chip supper evening cruise, featuring musical…
Discover the art of craft distilling in the Gateway to the Lake District, with a guided tour of…


The Lake District Where modern tourism was born
.jpg)
Number of results: 468
, currently showing 421 to 440.
Nr Bowness-on-Windermere
The Lakeland Model Village showcases dozens of miniature buildings crafted from locally sourced Coniston slate. Over the past 25 years, local builder Edward Robinson carefully created each one by hand, faithfully recreating some of Cumbria’s most…
Coniston
Grab your tent and get ready to set off on your next adventure. At our Coniston Park Coppice site we welcome tent campers and can accommodate tents of up to 3mx3m (approximately a 4-person tent). Dogs are welcome too.
Cockermouth
Beautifully located in its own grounds on the shores of Buttermere among the western fells, Hassness Country House is the perfect base for guided and self-guided walking holidays in the Lake District. This was the favourite Lakeland location of…
Grange-over-Sands
Greaves Farm Caravan Park is small, family run park in beautiful countryside on the fringe of the Lake District within easy reach of Lake Windermere, the historic village of Cartmel and Grange over Sands and many places of interest. An ideal…
Cockermouth
From leisurely lakeside strolls to more challenging fell climbs and classic Lakeland ridge walks, there are routes for all levels of fitness and abilities, many of which start right from the doorstep or are within easy reach of Hassness Country…
Bowness-on-Windermere
Take in the stunning views from our lakeside Restaurant whilst dining from our seasonal menu, we serve only the finest British cuisine in our restaurant.
Ambleside
Our northernmost pier at Ambleside (Waterhead) is set in a beautiful location with arguably the best views of the Lake District Fells from the water.
Eskdale, Holmrook
Experience the great outdoors at Parkgate Farm, offering a variety of 9 large camping pitches (5 with electric hook-up, and 4 without) and one camping pod. Take advantage of the amenities including family shower rooms, separate toilets, washing-up…
Windermere
Offering a traditional Afternoon Tea in the heart of the Lake District.
Portinscale
One of the apartments in the estate's Grade II listed Victorian house and steeped in history, Skiddaw served as a creative sanctuary for Beatrix Potter in the late 1890s. It was from these bedroom windows that she captured the view for her piece…
Hawkshead, Lake Windermere
Get behind the wheel with this brilliant 4x4 experience with Graythwaite Adventure. With careful planning and consideration for the natural landscape, we’ve designed the Lake District’s only off-road course with BORDA (British Off Road Driving…
Windermere
Our three warm and cosy pods are situated behind the main farm steading in a quiet setting away from the road and next to a small beck. The pods all have underfloor heating so you are guaranteed to be warm no matter the season. Unfortunately we…
Ulverston
Birchbank Cottage is nestled on the fells between Coniston Water and the Duddon Estuary with many footpaths and bridleways to walk or cycle on and enjoy views over the Duddon Estuary and over to Coniston Old Man with just the birds for company. The…
Tranquilly paddle along a beautiful, tree-lined river with the steam train passing on the shoreline and the current tugging gently from below towards the sea contrasts with the open lake exposed to the wind and waves, with vast vistas of the Lake…
Keswick
Flag stone floors, oak beams and roaring log fires create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere at the 17th century Salutation Inn in the heart of the Lake District.
Popular with the "locals", the bar has the welcoming hospitality, warmth and…
Penrith
Our spacious plush glamping cabins can offer a comfortable glamping experience.
Cockermouth
Located in the picturesque Lorton Valley, Hundith Hill offers stunning views of the Cumbrian countryside. With 25 rooms, function suites, restaurant, bar & lounge, Hundith Hill is the perfect venue for country escapes.
The Lake District is one of the best places you can visit for Stargazing and is listed in the top 5% of the darkest places in Britain. On a clear evening, we are able to see thousands of stars and constellations including the spectacular Milky Way.
Whicham, Valley, Millom
The ultimate horse riding experience in the stunning Cumbria. We are UK's only specialised heavy horse riding establishment! We are a small, professional, family run Equestrian Centre unique in the use of our magnificent heavy horse breeds.
Windermere
Discover 200 years of Windermere’s boating history and the stories of the people involved - from wealthy owners to boat builders, inspired writers to ordinary Lakeland folk - at the Lake District’s new all-weather museum.
Receive all the latest news, special offers and information from the Lake District, Cumbria
Cumbria Tourism, Windermere Road, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9PL